Nonwoven fabric and method of producing same



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A ril 5, 1955 DE WITT R. PETTERSON ETAL NONWOVEN FABRIC AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed April 7, 1952 April 1955 DE wrr'r R. PETTERSON ETAL 2,705,687

NONWOVEN FABRIC AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed April 7, 1952 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Jew/N6 BY April 5, 1955 DE WITT R. PETTERSON ET AL 2,705,637

NONWOVEN FABRIC AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME Filed April 7, 1952 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 flex/Mg; 6. 445-55 ulz Q. @411 ATTU/P/VEYZ United States Patent thee 2 ,705,687 Patented Apr. 5, 1955 NQNWQVEN FABRIC AND METHOD OF PRODUCING SAME De Witt R. Petterson, West Springfield, Mass, and Irving S Ness, Princeton, N. J., assignors to Chicopce Manufactoring Corporation, a corporation of Massachusetts Application April 7, 1952, Serial No. 280,962 .18 Claims. {CL 117--44) The present invention relates to textile fabrics and their manufacture; More particularly it is concerned with socalled nonwoven fabrics, i. e., fabrics produced from textile fibers Without the use of conventional Weaving or knitting operations. not necessarily limited thereto, the invention nection with oriented textile fibers, the major tially parallelized direction.

nonwoven fabrics composed of proportion of which are substanor oriented predominantly in one in the manuduced continuously with the fibers substantially parallelized or oriented in the machine direction, i. e., the direction in which the product moves continuously from the sheetforming machine. In such a web, the degree of orientation, or ratio of oriented to non-oriented fibers varies roughly from about 70% to about 90%; i. e., from to of the fibers are non-oriented while from about 70% to 90% of the fibers are substantially parallel ized in the machine direction.

The resulting web or sheet is subjected to one of several types of bonding operations to anchor or bond the individual fibers together. One method is to impregnate the web over its entire Width with various well-known bonding agents such as natural or synthetic resins. Such over-all impregnation produces a product of good longitudinal and cross strength. However, the product tends to;be stiff and boardlike, possessing more of the properties of paper or board tan of a woven textile fabric: over-all impregnated webs are therefore generally unsatisfactory as textile fabrics.

Another Well-known bonding method is to print nonwoven Webs with continuous straight or wavy lines of binder extending transversely across the web. suiting nonwoven fabric, as exemplified by the disclosed in the Joshua Goldman Patent 2,039,312 and by that heretofore sold by the present assignee under the trade-mark Masslinn, is far more satisfactory as a textile fabric than impregnated Webs in that the softness, drape, and hand of the resulting fabric more nearly approach those of a Woven textile fabric. However, the Joshua Goldman type of product in the cross direction IS characterized by low elongation properties, relatively low degree of elasticity and a low energy absorption to break. For'these reasons, the product upon stressing in a direclion transverse to the direction of fiber orientation, tends of primary importance in con to rip, tear or develop irregular holes due to rapid rupture of the continuous binder lines.

More recently discontinuous or spot bonding has been This type of bonding involves the use or hexagonal solid dots or spots arranged in a staggered pattern, as exemed by the product disclosed in the Esther Goldman Patent 2,545,952. Such spot-bonded products are relatively flexible when the fabric is bent upon itself. However, flexibility has been attained at the sacrifice of other desirable properties. Goldman type of product, although excellent in respect to cross tensile strength, has a low degree of elasticity, moderately low energy absorption to break, low elongation in the cross direction, and is especially paper-like or board-like, lacking the softness, drape and loft characteristic of conventional textile fabrics.

From the foregoing analysis it will be seen that none of the nonwoven fabrics of the prior art has been entirely satisfactory, particularly in the cross direction in respect to degree of elasticity, initial modulus of elasticity, energy strength, in combination with the desirable textile properties of softness, hand and drape. speaking, one of the objects of the present inis not sub- Expressed atfirrnatively, the general object of the invention is the provision of a nonwoven fabric characterized by a number of desirable properties never heretofore attainable in combination, so far as we are aware.

More specifically, our object is to provide a nonwoven fabric characterized by one or more of the following properties p 1. High degree of elasticity (i. e., instantaneous recovery or snap-back) when subject to stress in the crosswise direction;

2. High secondary creep (i. e., latent recovery, with time) after the fabric has been stressed crosswise and then permitted to relax;

3. High initial modulus of elasticity in the cross direction;

4. High energy absorption to break in the cross direction;

5. Good cross strength;

6. High cross elongation;

7. Excellent textile-like properties such as softness or hand, flexibility or drape, and the three-dimensional appearance or loft characteristic of Woven fabrics; and

8. Capacity to develop a more pronounced loft upon release from temporary deformation in a direction perpendicular to fiber orientation, with a further improvement in the above mentioned textile-like properties, especially softness and loft.

Still another object is the provision of a novel binder pattern or design that is capable of imparting the foregoing properties,;in a controllable degree and relationship, to an unbonded nonwoven oriented textile Web.

An additional object is to provide a simple, commercially feasible and economical method of manufacturing an improved nonwoven fabric having the properties mentioned above. 7

A further object is to utilize the normally oriented fibers in a card web to impart the above properties to the finished nonwoven fabric.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the description progresses.

terized broadly as an inherently elastic, articulated, multisegmental binder pattern. An oriented Web of fibers bonded together by such a binder system posse ses prop erties suggestive of those of a skeletal system. In the pattern of the present invention, the individual segments, elements, or component parts comprising the skeletal system are bonded areas that. are separated from each other by otherwise unbonded fibers but that are nevertheless hinged, iointed," or articulated with respect to each other by unbonded lengths of fibers. in this sys- 'a web of fibers, oriented or parallelized tem the individual bonded segments or elements may be likened to the bony portion of the skeleton, while the fibers hingedly interconnecting the segments act in effect like the crucial tendons and cartilaginous elements in a skeletal joint.

Regardless of the aptness of the analogy suggested immediately above, the individual binder areas and the fibers comprising the web are so interrelated as to interact in a novel elastic or spring-like manner when the web is stressed in a crosswise direction. By virtue of this elastic mode of interaction, an extraordinary combination of properties is attainable in the bonded web, including, among other characteristics, high degree of elasticity, high energy absorption to break, high strength and high elongation, all in the cross direction, without sacrifice of those properties such as hand, drape, and loft that are important to the use of the resultant nonwoven fabric as a textile material.

In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, to a substantial degree, is formed into a nonwoven fabric by bonding with an articulated, multisegmental pattern of binder, the individual segments of which pattern comprise elongated, discrete areas of binder infused locally into the body of the web and separated from each other by substantially unbonded lengths of fibers. The major axes of the elongated binder areas are disposed obliquely (i. e., neither perpendicularly nor parallel) with respect to the direction of fiber orientation, and with the binder areas adjacent each other preferably angularlydisposed with respect to each other. Each elongated area is hingedly interconnected or articulated with its neighboring areas by substantially unbonded lengths of oriented fiber.

Desirably the elongated and obliquely inclined binder areas are of uniform (but not necessarily identical) configuration and dimensions, and they are uniformly arranged in a staggered pattern extending across the entire width of the web in a direction transverse to the machine direction, or direction of fiber lay. The elongated areas are disposed with their major axes inclined wit respect to the fiber lay, and arranged in a series of overlapping columns that are parallel to each other and preferably (but not necessarily) parallel to the direction of fiber orientation. In any event, the over-all binder distribution pattern is such that in the area or zone of overlap every line parallel to the direction of fiber orientation passes through at least three diagonally inclined, hingedly interconnected, elongated binder areas within a distance along said line equal to the average length of the fibers composing the web. The parallel fibers of average length or greater in the overlap area are therefore, in the main, bonded by at least three inclined, elongated areas of binder, two of which lie predominantly in one column, while the third area, positioned between the first two areas, lies predominantly in an overlapping, parallel column.

In order more clearly to disclose the nature of the present invention and the manner in which it may be carried-into practice, it is desirable to set forth certain considerations which we believe will aid in its comprehension. It should be clearly understood, however, that this is done solely in aid of its understanding; the present invention is in no way dependent upon the correctness of any theoretical considerations hereinafter presented nor, indeed, upon the aptness or inaptness of any analogies that may herein be suggested for the purpose of relating the invention to more familiar concepts.

In the following discussion reference will be made to the several figures of the drawing, wherein:

Fig. l is a plan view on an enlarged scale diagrammatically showing a relaxed portion'of a nonwoven fabric having a binder pattern in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a similar view, also on an enlarged scale, diagrammatically showing a portion of the fabric of Fig. 1 when stretched or extended in a direction transverse to the direction of fiber orientation;

Fig. 3 is a plan view, approximately full scale, of a portion of fabric having a binder pattern in accordance with a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pattern consisting of a cross-hatch design.

v Fig. 4 is a similar view, approximately full scale, showing the geometry of a similar binder design having shorter segments;

Fig. 5 is a plan view, approximately full scale, showing a portion of a fabric provided with modification of the binder design of Figs. 3 or 4, the parallel columns of binder areas being inclined slightly with respect to the direction of fiber orientation;

Fig. 6 is a plan view on an enlarged scale of a portion of a fabric having a modified form of binder pattern, involving straight lines with obliquely extending tails;

Fig. 7 is a similar view on an enlarged scale, showing another modification of the individual binder areas, comprising S-shaped curved lines;

Fig. 8 is a similar view on an enlarged scale showing still another modification of the binder areas, and involving hollow oval-shape binder areas;

Fig. 9 is a similar view, on an enlarged scale, showing a further geometrical modification of the binder areas, and involving solid diamond-shapedareas disposed with in hollow diamond-shaped areas;

Fig. 10 is a similar view on an enlarged scale of a still further geometrical variation wherein the individual binder areas consist of hollow diamond-shaped areas provided with obliquely extending tails;

Fig. 11 is a similar view on an enlarged scale showing another geometrical variation wherein the binder areas comprise hollow circles provided with opposed radial extensions or tails;

Fig. 12 is a photomicrograph showing the surface of a web bonded in accordance with Fig. 2 of the present invention, the fabric being in the relaxed state; and

Fig. 13 is a photomicrograph of the fabric of Fig. 12 when subjected uniformly to a state of tension in a direction across the direction of fiber orientation.

The present invention utilizes separate, discrete, elongated areas of resin or binder so disposed and related to each other and to the fibers as to impart to the web. in the cross direction, a high degree of elasticity, high initial modulus of elasticity and high energy absorption to break, while permitting control of these properties relatively independently of each other in the design of fabrics intended for specific end uses. So far as we are aware this has not been possible with any previous binder design.

In accordance with the present inventionthe optimum balance of desirable qualities for a nonwoven textile fabric is attainable by using elongated areas of binder so positioned with respect to each other as to be hingedly joined at their ends to adjacent binder areas by a bundle of parallel, substantially unbonded lengths of fibers. For reasonshereafter explained, in order to attain a high degree of elasticity, a substantial proportion (preferably all) of the elongated binder areas are inclined obliquely with respect to the direction of fiber orientation.

Referring now to the drawings, particularly Figs. 1 and 2, these figures diagrammatically illustrate the underlying principles of the present invention. Fig. 1 shows a greatly enlarged section of fabric in a relaxed condition while Fig. 2 shows a section of the same fabric when placed under tension in the cross direction. As shown in Fig. 1, the fabric comprises substantially parallelized fibers 10 bonded together by uniform staggered pattern of elongated and inclined binder areas 1, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16 and 17, infused locally into the body of the web and separated from each other by substantially unbonded lengths of fibers. The elongated areas of length IL and width W desirably are uniformly arranged in overlapping columns M, N and 0, having a Width X, the width of overlap being designated by b. The elongated areas in one column (e. g., M) are inclined with respect to the direction of fiber orientation by an angle a while those in an overlapping column (e. g., N) are inclined at an angle 3 preferably identical with the angle or but in the opposite sense or direction. The columnar (i.'. e., vertical) distance between elongated binder areas along the axes of the parallelized fibers is indicated by Y. The shortest clear distance between adjacent areas is designated by C.

' When the fabric of Fig. 1 is stressed in the crosswise direction, each binder area tends to move to relieve the strain, assuming the relationship illustrated in Fig. 2. The angles of inclination a and [3' of each elongated area are greater than before as well' as the width (X) of the overlapping columns. On the other hand, the columnar distance '(Y') between elongated areas in a given column, the extent of overlap (b) between over. lapping columns, and the shortest clear distance (0) between neighboring elongated areas are all less than before.

Considering the centrally located binder area 12 in Fig. 2, it will be apparent from inspection that this area is subject to an unequal distribution of forces about its periphery. In other words, the forces acting upon this area (and every adjacent area) are now unbalanced. The lengths of fibers 19 between the central portions of the elongated areas 12 and 14 are buckled, puckered or bent out of the original plane of the sheet and because of their tendency to straighten out, tend to push the connected areas 12 and 14 apart.

The originally relaxed hinge fibers" connecting adjacent ends of neighboring areas are now disposed in unequal states of tension or compression, as diagrammatically shown in Fig. 2 by the taut fibers 30 and the bent fibers 31. As a result of an asymmetrical distribution of these tension and compression forces, the binder area 12 is subject to a torque along its major axis. This torque, coupled with the various other forces acting asymmetrically around the periphery of the binder area 12, tends to resist further deformation and (when the stress is relieved) to restore the area 12 and adjacent areas to their original positional relationship as shown in Fig. l.

Thus, in accordance with our invention, by disposing elongated, discrete but articulated areas in such a manner as to produce an asymmetrical distribution of forces around their peripheries when the fabric is stressed, at high degree of elasticity is designed into a web that originally was essentially devoid of either strength or elasticity in the cross direction. Furthermore, by proper adjustment of the dimensions of the elongated areas, their inter-island distances and their angular and spacial relationships, it is possible, within wide limits, for those skilled in the art to engineer into a finished fabric the optimum combination of properties desired for any specific end-use of the material.

The foregoing will be more readily apparent from the following analysis of the factors effecting some of the more important properties of the fabric.

1. Factor afiecting strength Referring again to Figs. 1 and 2, the band of fiber lengths in the overlap area b are of a strong, flexible nature, and are held together by the centers of the elongated resin or binder areas. Since the fiber band strength can be increased by increasing the extent of overlap b, the strength of the material will depend in part upon the degree of overlap (b). Ultimately, however, cross strength will depend upon the strength available in the center of each of the elongated areas for holding these bands together under stress, assuming proper overlap.

Within limits, any factor tending to increase overlap will tend to increase cross strength. The degree of overlap (b, Figs. 1 and 2) should not be less than about 0.02 of an inch, and preferably should lie between about 0.04 and about 0.06 of an inch. Overlap may, of course, be increased by increasing the length of the elongated areas without changing their center-to-center distances, for example, by putting inclined extensions or fails on the area, as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 11, the extensions being inclined, if desired, transversely to-the fiber direction to attain maximum overlap for the amount of binder used. Another expedient for increasing overlap is to interpose between neighboring inclined segments a horizontaily disposed, staggered or overlap segment hingedly connected to the inclined segments. Further increase in overlap, beyond approximately 0.04 inch does not appear materially to increase cross strength: for, generally speaking with this amount of overlap, the region of the overlap (like some of the joints in a skeletal system) constitutes the strongest part of the fabric when stressed in the cross direction.

To increase the inherent strength in the binder area, the width (W) of the elongated area (i. e., its minor axis) may be increased adjacent the overlap zone in the central portion of the area so that W is greater at the center of the area than at its ends. A number of modifications in geometry of the individual elongated areas in the band l shaped areas),

with oblique tails), and Fig. 11 (hollow circles with radially extending tails). Innumerable other variations will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art.

2. Factors afiecting elongation The elongation of the fabric under stress will be effected by the inter-island distances X, Y and C, and by the angles a and B at which the elongated areas are inclined to the fiber direction. For a given strength, it is possible to increase or decrease the elongation properties by changing these inter-island distances and the angles of inclination.

3. Factors aflecfing total energy absorption to break 4. Factors afiecting degree of elasticity When a section of the fabric in accordance with this invention is stretched in the crosswise direction, there is a tendency for the inter-resin distance Y to decrease as the hinged band of cartilaginous fibers of width b is deformed (Fig. 2). The decrease in columnar distance Y causes a pucker or distortion of the fibers lying between the lengths X-Zb of two adjacent resin areas in a column. Upon removal of stress, these distorted or puckered fibers 19 lying primarily above and below the plane of the sheet proper have a tendency to push the resin areas back to their original position. The magnitude of this force is dependent primarily on the distance X -2b since this controls the number of fibers so distorted. In the band of fibers now displaced to a zigzag position, the inclination of the resin areas causes an unequal distribution of stress, tending to decrease the angle of inclination and thereby cause unequal stress distribution on one side or the other of the fiber hinge or icrucial tendon b. This unequal distribution of stress resin area,

the plane of the web. This area of fibers bound between neighboring resin areas might be described as a spring where the distance C indicates the length of the spring, the length [7 indicates the width of the spring and the angles of inclination m and ,8

distribution set up Within the spring. Accordingly, elasticrty is affected, in part by the length L of the elongated area, the distance (X -2b), the overlap b, the clear addition, the angles a and ,8 preferably should he between about 30 and 60, e. g., about 45.

5. Textile properties In general, flexibility,

lateral surface of the web is bonded. With the present may be, and preferably is, used sparingly, with the bonded areas covering about 10 to 25% of the total lateral surface of the web or sheet.

Referring now to Figs. 3, 4-, and 5, all these are plan views, roughly full scale, showing a portion of the simple cross-hatch type of binder pattern forming a preferred power) showing a embodiment of the invention and discussed above in connection with Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 3 the inclined lines overlap in the direction of fiber orientation and also in the horizontal direction. In Fig. 4, however, there are clear channels between horizontal rows of the inclined lines: i. e., there is no overlap" in the horizontal plane. The inclined lines of Fig. 4 are shorter and more tightly packed than those of Fig. 3.

In Fig. 5, the columns (e. g., M and N) although parallel, do not substantially overlap as in Figs. 1 to 4 However, effective overlap (b) in thedirection of fiber orientation if provided by inclining the columns M and N obliquely across the fiber direction. 7

In Fig. 6, the inclined elongated binder areas comprise bars 11 and 12, each of which has terminal extensions or tails 20 extending perpendicularly with respect to fiberlay and thereby serving to increase the overlap b.

In Fig. 7, the inclined areas comprise integration signs or S-shaped curves 11 and 12, the ends of which are inclined toward the horizontal, thereby increasing the effective overlap b.

Figs. 8 to 11 illustrate various expedients for increasing the width of the central section of the inclined elongated areas. In Fig. 8 the areas are oval-shaped, with the major axes inclined at the angles on and [3. In Fig. 9, the areas are diamond-shaped, with their major axes inclined at the angles or. and d.

In Fig. 10 the strength across the center of the binder area is increased and the amount of binder is reduced by 30 per square yard after printing is In carrying the present invention into practice, any of the conventional web-forming, printing and drying operations, well-known in the nonwoven fabric art, and any of the conventional binder media of the prior art may be used. Typical procedures and binder media applicable in the practice of the present invention include those disclosed in Joshua Goldman Patent 2,039,312, or in the Joseph Goldman Patent 2,407,548, or in the Esther Goldman Patent 2,545,952. Such operations and media, being well known and conventional, need not be described herein, since reference may readily be made to the prior art, including the patents mentioned.

Assuming the use of an engraved printing roll of the intaglio type (as described, for example, in the Esther Goldman patent), the surface of the print or applicator roll is engraved with a pattern such that, when the binder carried in the binder-receiving recesses is transferred to the base fabric, it imprints thereon a binder pattern corresponding to any one of those shown in the several figures of the drawings and having approximately the dimensions given in Table I.

Typical properties of finished webs made in accordance with preferred embodiment of the invention are summarized in Table I. The binder employed comprised an aqueous emulsion of polyvinyl acetate. The base web consisted of a card Web of one and one-half denier rayon fibers of one and one-half inch average staple length, the web having an average grain weight per square yard before printing as shown in the table. The average grain weight also shown in Table I.

TABLE I Pattern Geometry wigbgggglsit Properties an no c u -4 t a O Dimensions P nd w Code is as g fi E Number -& g; *5 :1 Basic g 33 05,33 2% Type L w x n Y o aorfl X-2B z, n 5055 552*. r 335314,

In. In. In. In. In. In. Degrees In. 3E9 3 E; g g S ,9 ,5 @153 a 5 ES 3 a) M V 1-. A :1 av q a; m F2 w i a tn 4 0 a F t .5 Q o. A

Per; P t Per; Pertcen ercm can can 0. 4O 0. 06 U. 32 0. 04 O. 32 0. 06 60 U. 24 660 885 1. 65 43 0. 21 6. 6 36 4 3O 0. 46 O. 08 0. 38 0. 08 O. 35 O. 03 60 0. 22 660 970 1. 95 22 O- 21 3. 1 59 1 35 O. 22 O. 04 0. 0. U4 0. 18 0. 03 60 O. 12 660 790 2. 1%: 20 O. 21 49. 5 50 0 O. 34 0. O5 0. 3O O. 05 O. 0. 06 60 0. 20 660 940 2. 2 24 O. 27 35. U 47 1 23 O. 18 0. U4 0. l6 0. 05 O. 30 0. D7 60 0. O6 660 1, 010 2. 86 i 59 0. 85 40. 0 12 8 22 22-. 34 O. 04 0. 24 0. 06 0. 3O 0. O8 ('10 660 870 1. 4 38 0. 27 18. 7 41 3 15 0. 44 06-. 12 O. 44 O. 12 0. O. 08 60 0. 20 660 780 1. 57 35 0. 28 5. 6 23 4 33 O. O 0. 34 0. 12 O. 28 0. 08 60 O. 12 660 950 2. 75 17 O. 23 55. 5 64 l. 21 0. 16 01-. 1O 0. 14 0. O5 0. 4O 0. O8 60 0. 04 660 960 2. 31 88 1. 02 19. 2 11 33 31 1 ASTM D3949.

2 ASTM D-39-49.

3 Tested under conditions above. 4 Same as 3.

5 Same as 3.

Permanent Deformation is the ratio of unrecoverable extension to gauge length after 1 hour relaxation,

or to 80% of Elongation to Break.

oi Crossstrength to Break, Percent of fabric surface occupied by resm. employing hollow diamonds. In addition, overlap is increased by the lateral extensions 20. In Fig. 11 increased strength at the center of the area is provided by the annular shaped central body portion 11. Opposed radially extending tails 20 give an otherwise completely symmetrical figure a major and a minor axis, the former being obliquely inclined by the angles a and ,8. The tails 20 serve to increase the overlap (b) while the asymmetric positions of the areas relative to the direction of fiber orientation give the fabric elasticity.

Figs. 12 and 13 are photomicrographs (less than 2 X l fabric bonded as in Fig. 3. Fig. l2 shows the fabric in the relaxed condition while Fig. 13 shows the same fragment of fabric in -a state of tension across the fiber direction. The development of the tiny pillows of puckered fibers between the binder areas is visible in this figure.

tion to Break, or to 80% 7 Lateral coverage.

EXAMPLES In order still more clearly to disclose the manner in which the invention may be carried into practice, several specific embodiments will hereinafter be described in detail. It should be understood, however, that this is done purely by way of example and not for the purpose of delineating the breadth of the invention or limiting the ambit of the appended claims.

35 respect to the Terms defined by H. D. Smith in Ati'IM Pr0e., 44 p. 543-592 (1944).

following stressing to 50% Energy Absorp- Having now described the invention in specific detail and exemplified the preferred manner in which it may be carried into practice, it will readily be apparent to those skilled in the art that innumerable variations, applications, modifications and extensions of the basic principles involved may be made without departing from its spirit or scope. Thus the fabric of the instant invention may be laminated with other fabrics, with paper, or with other materials, or employed in a host of ways that will be readily apparent to the skilled artisan. We, therefore, intend to be limited only in accordance with the appended patent claims.

The term -textile fibers as used herein includes the conventional fibers that are spun into yarn and woven into cloth. Generally speaking, the term includes fibershaving an average length of one-half inch or more. We claim:

I. A web of fibers predominantly oriented in one direction, bonded together by an articulated multisegmental binder pattern, the individual segments of which are separated from, but hingedly connected to, each other by substantially unbonded lengths of fibers, a substantial proportion of said segments being inclined obliquely with direction of fiber orientation.

2. A web of oriented fibers bonded together by a staggered pattern of elongated binder areas infused locally comprising a series of parallel, uniformly spaced, broken lines of binder, each line comprising elongated segmen- 1s set up about sald asymmetrically positioned areas an the direction or fiber orientation equal to the average asymmetric distribution of forces tending to restore the 1 length of the fiber composing the web. web to its original state before the stress was applied. 12. A web or cardedfibers substantially all of whose 3. A Web of carded fibers substantially all of whose fibers lying in parallel1sm are bonded together by a fibers lying in parallelsim are bonded together by a binder infused into the body of the web to form a segbinder infused into the body of the web in an articulated mental binder pattern occupylng only a minor propormultisegmental binder pattern occupying aminor portion non of the total lateral surface of the web, said segof the surface area of said Web, each of said segments mental binder pattern comprising a series of parallel, being elongated and each of said segments extending un formly spaced, broken lines of binder, each line in the obliquely across the direction of fiber alignment. series comprising elongated areas of binder uniformly 4. A web of fibers oriented predominantly in one diseparated by spaces that are substantially free of binde e tion, the fibers lying in parallelism being bonded tosaid parallel broken lines being inclined obliquely with gether by a multiplicity of elongated areas of binder, respect to the direction of fiber alignment in the web a unlformly separated from but hlngedly connected to, second series of parallel, uniformly spaced broken lines each other by substantlally unbonded areas of fiber, said of binder, each line 1n the second series likewise comblnder areas belng arranged unlformly 1n overlapping prising elongated areas of binder uniformly separated columns that are parallel to each other and to the diy spaces h are Substantially free of binder, i rection of fiber orientation, the major axis of said elon- 0nd series of lines also being inclined obliquely with regated areas being inclined with respect to the direction Spect to direction of fiber alignment, but in the opposite of fiber orientation. sense or direction to the lines of said first series; said 5. A web according to claim 4 wherein adjacent colfirst series of parallel broken lines being so disposed with urnns overlap to the extent of at least 0.02 of an in h, respect to sald second series of parallel broken lines 6. A web according to claim 4 wherein the elongated that the segments of one series lie in the intersegmental areas in one column are inclined in the opposite sense spaces or the other S ries and so that every straight line or direction relative to the angle of inclination of the parallel to the direction of fiber alignment intersects at elongated areas in an overlapping column. least three segments within a distance in the direction of 7. A web according to claim 4 wherein the major axis fiber or entation equal to the average length of the fibers of said elongated areas is at least twice the minor axis of composing the web. said elongated areas. V l3. A web of carded fibers substantially all of whose A web of fibers oriented predominantly in one difibers lying in parallelism are bonded together by a rection, the fibers lying in parallelism being bonded tobinde! infused into the Y of the web to form a seggether by a uniform binder pattern comprising a mulmental binder pattern occupying a minor portion of the tiplicity of elongated areas of binder, uniformly sepatotal area of the web, said segmental binder pattern rated from each other by substantially unbonded areas comprising a series of parallel, uniformly spaced, broken of fiber and arranged uniformly in overlapping columns lines of binder, each line in the series comprising clonthat are parallel to each other and to the direction of gated areas of binder uniformly separated by intersegfiber orientation, the major axis of said elongated areas mental spaces that are substantially free of binder; said being inclined obliquely with respect to the direction of parallel lines being inclined obliquely with respect to fiber orientation, said binder pattern being such that the direction of fiber alignment in the web; a second every line in the zones of overlapping columns parallel series of parallel, uniformly spaced, broken lines of to the direction of fiber orientation passes through at binder, each line in the second series likewise comprising least three binder areas Within a distance along said line elongated areas or binder unifoimly separated by inequal to the average length of the fibers composing the tersegmental spaces that are substantially free of binder; weft. said second series of lines also being inclined obliquely 9. A web of fibers oriented predominantly in one diwith respect to the direction of fiber alignment, said rection, the fibers lying in parallelism being bonded tofirst series of broken parallel lines being so disposed gether by a symmetrical pattern comprising a multiwith respect to said second series of parallel broken lines plicity of uniform, elongated discrete areas of binde that the se ments of one series lie in the intersegmental uniformly separated from each other by a substantially spaces of the other series, said segmental pattern inunbonded area of fiber and arranged in parallel, umcluding the angle of inclination of said parallel lines formly overlapping columns, the mElJOI'flXlS of said elonwith respect to the direction of fiber alignment the disgated areas being inclined obliquely with respect to the tance between adjacent lines in each series, the length direction of fiber orientation said symmetrical binder of and distance between each adjacent segment in each pattern bemg such that every line drawn parallel to the line, and the thickness of each of said segments, hem" direction of fiber orientation within a given overl p zone so related that every straight line parallel to the (mew form d y t overlapping columns Intersects a l a t tron of fiber alignment intersects a plurality oi segments n l ga area y g predomlltantly 111 l u l within the distance in the direction of fiber orientation and at least two filongatfid areas lying Predominantly equal to the average length of the fibers composing the the other column, within a distance in the direction of b, fiber orientation equal to the av g gth of the fibers 14. The web of claim 13 wherein each of said segments comprlslng th W ft comprise a straight line body portion having terminal Web Of fibers orifinted p d n y in one 7 portions extending obliquely outwardly from said body direction, the fibers lying in parallelism being bonded i logelhel' b a binder infused imofh y 05 the Web 15. The Web according to claim 13 wherein said elcnm an art1u1ated multlsegmemal binder P PY- gated segmental area comprises a closed but elongated, ing a minor portion of the surface area of said web, said h ll li fi binder pattern composing a serles of parallel, rm y 16. The web of claim 13 wherein said elongated seg- Spaced, broken llnes of each 11116 COmPFISmg mental area comprises an annular body portion proelongaied segmental area? of binder Separated 2) lmefvided with opposed lateral portions extending outwardly segmental spaces, substantially free of binder, said paralfrom i b y portion lel lines being inclined obliquely with respect to the di- 17 A method of fo i a nonwoven fab i f IeCtiOIl Of fiber Orientation a web of loosely associated, substantially parallelized 11. A web of carded fibers substantially all of whose fibers, which comprises infusing into the body of said fib rs lying in Pa l sm are bonded g r y a web an articulated, multisegmental binder pattern, the

binder infused into the body of the web 1n an articulated individual segments of which are separated from, but

ingdis'posed obliquely with respec'tto the direction of fiber orientation.

'18. In the manufacture of an articulated multisegmentally bonded web of substantially parallelized textile fibers, the improvement which comprises positioning a substantial proportion of said segments with their major axes inclined obliquely with respect to said parallelized fibers, thereby imparting elastic recovery properties to the resultant fabric.

1,507,949 Angier 12 Woodward Nov. 10, 1931 Goldman May 5, 1936 Alderfer July 9, 1940 vGoldman Sept. 10, 1946 Baxter Feb. 21, 1950 Goldman Mar. 20, 1951 Goldman May 1, 1951 FOREIGN PATENTS Great Britain Nov. 12, 1942 Belgium Dec. 30, 1950 

1. A WEB OF FIBERS PREDOMINANTLY ORIENTED IN ONE DIRECTION, BONDED TOGETHER BY AN ARTICULATED MULTISEGMENTAL BINDER PATTERN, THE INDIVIDUAL SEGMENTS OF SHICH ARE SEPARATED FORM, BUT HINGEDLY CONNECTED TO EACH, OTHER BY SUBSTANTILLY UNBONDED LENGTHS OF FIBERS, A SUBSTANTIAL PROPORTION OF SAID SEGMENTS BEING INCLINED OBLIQUELY WITH RESPECT TO THE DIRECTION OF FIBER ORIENTATION. 